The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook by Annie Gray

  • Kedgeree

    Kedgeree (page 34)

    from The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook by Annie Gray

    • Categories: Rice dishes; Breakfast / brunch; Main course; British
    • Ingredients: firm white fish fillets; milk; cooked rice; fish stock; ground cayenne pepper; eggs; heavy cream; parsley
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Notes about this book

  • oboistaalli on May 21, 2023

    The author used historic recipes published or written between c.1875 through 1930 and lists the sources for each recipe on her blog: https://musingsonfoodhistory.wordpress.com/2019/09/13/the-official-downton-abbey-cookbook/

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Scones

    • IowanCorn on May 31, 2025

      These scones are the closest I've come across to American biscuits. Drier, and needing butter - or jam, but tasty. I used the food processor to cut the fat into the flour and it worked really well, but four tablespoons of fat for 3 1/2 cups of flour seems like a little off on the ratio.

  • Toad-in-the-hole

    • IowanCorn on June 16, 2025

      Tasty enough, a quick brunch dish, but all the spice was in the sausage. The bread part was bland, although I would cut back just a smidge of the salt, considering the sausage I used. I caramelized 1/2 onion diced, and added beef stock and cornstarch for a thin gravy, which went well with the toad.

  • Digestive biscuits

    • oboistaalli on May 21, 2023

      These digestives are easy to make and not very sweet with only 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in the dough. One could add more sugar and dip in melted chocolate for a sweeter version. They are delicious with coffee and tea. The source for this historic recipe is Theodore Garrett (ed.), The Encyclopaedia of Practical Cookery (c.1885).

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  • ISBN 10 1681883694
  • ISBN 13 9781681883694
  • Published Sep 17 2019
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 272
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Weldon Owen

Publishers Text

The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook presents over 100 recipes that showcase the cookery and customs of the Crawley household—from upstairs dinner party centerpieces to downstairs puddings and pies—and bring an authentic slice of Downton Abbey to modern kitchens and Downton fans. 

Whether adapted from original recipes of the period, replicated as seen or alluded to on screen, or typical of the time, all the recipes reflect the influences found on the Downton Abbey tables. Food historian Annie Gray gives a rich and fascinating insight into the background of the dishes that were popular between 1912 and 1926, when Downton Abbey is set —a period of tremendous change and conflict, as well as culinary development.

With a foreword by Gareth Neame, executive producer and co-creator of Downton Abbey, and featuring over 100 stunning color photographs, The Downton Abbey Cookbook also includes a special section on hosting Downton-themed dinner parties and presents stills from across the TV series as well as the latest film. Notes on the etiquette and customs of the times, quotes from the characters, and descriptions of the scenes in which the foods appear provide vivid context for the dishes.

The recipes are grouped by occasion, which include breakfast; luncheons and suppers; afternoon tea and garden parties; picnics, shoots and race meets; festivities; upstairs dinner; downstairs dinner; downstairs supper and tea; and the still room.
 
From the upstairs menu:
  • Cornish Pasties
  • Sausage Rolls
  • Oysters au Gratin
  • Chicken Vol-au-Vents
  • Cucumber Soup
  • Soul a la Florentine
  • Salmon Mousse
  • Quail and Watercress
  • Charlotte Russe

From the downstairs menu:
  • Toad-in-the-Hole
  • Beef Stew with Dumplings
  • Steak and Kidney Pie
  • Cauliflower Cheese
  • Rice Pudding
  • Jam and Custard Tarts
  • Gingerbread Cake
  • Summer Pudding

With these and more historic recipes—compelling to a contemporary palate and easy to replicate in today’s kitchens—savor the rich traditions and flavors of Downton Abbey without end.

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